rejecting the diet mentality

[Guest guest]

Good work ! And so neat that you have little darling examples

of IE right in your house Its time for mom to take lessons from

kiddies :)

Best to you - Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Hi, I am back to the intuitive eating approach after doing some

> " research, " as they say, back in the diet mentality. I am here to

> report that it doesn't work, yet again. For me, the diet mentality

> extends both to the calorie/point counting and to Overeaters Anonymous

> and other 12 step food fellowship food plans. They are so attractive

> to me. I am so unsure of my own ability to feed myself, and feel so

> much self doubt when I am doing IE and have the pulls toward bingeing.

> But I have proved to myself (yet again) that I won't stick to any of

> these plans. I think I want someone to tell me what to do around food,

> but then I won't do it.

>

> My thought for today is that I can't just reject the diet mentality; I

> have to embrace an alternative approach. Over the past couple of days,

> I have been attempting to separate in my mind my eating from my

> weight. Both my restricting (dieting) and my bingeing are directly

> related to my over-focus on weight. I haven't weighed myself in a few

> days (I don't keep a scale in my house, but I could weigh myself at

> the gym, but I have been resisting that tug, as it is a real trigger

> to counter-intuitive eating for me). And I have been thinking, okay,

> if weight weren't an issue, then how would I like to eat? What kind of

> relationship do I want to have with food? And the answer is that I

> want to have the kind of relationship that my kids have around food.

> They have preferences and foods they won't eat, and they eat sometimes

> when they aren't hungry, but mostly they wait until they are hungry to

> eat and don't stay hungry for very long without everybody hearing

> about it. Then you give them food, they take however many bites they

> want, say " I'm full " and run to play.

>

> It's good to be back.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome back !

You hit exactly on the point that I came to when I started IE...if

dieting isn't the way or how I want to live my life...then what is?

Fortunately, we both discovered IE. I recognized that most diets don't

allow for the type of joy and dynamism I want to experience in my

life. I'm re-visioning and creating a new relationship with my self,

food, movement and life in general by working with these principles. I

keep focusing on and giving energy to my vision of a life where I more

consistently honor my hunger, respect my fullness, move regularly,

cope with emotions without using food...and am skillful at navigating

my life and responding to my needs in creative ways. Glad to have you

here to share the journey.

Latoya:)

Working with IE since Jan '08

[Guest guest]

I have been feeling discouraged. I quit dieting a year and a half

ago, and started

IE with all the enthusiasm I used to put into new diets. It was scarey because

in the process of legalizing foods, I gained weight, maybe 15 - 20 pounds. But

then I stopped working at IE and just used non-dieting as an excuse for eating

whatever and whenever I wanted. My weight is still at my highest ever and I am

uncomfortable in my own skin.

I was thinking of going on a diet because of my discomfort - but realized that I

KNOW DIETS DON'T WORK. I got obese dieting, so obviously dieting is not

the answer.

But when this thread started, I began to realize that in spite of my unhappiness

about my obesity (and I am no more unhappy about it than I was while dieting)

there HAVE been some good changes. I no longer binge - and that in itself is a

biggie! I do not feel deprived, and I am probably eating more healthy

foods since

junk food no longer appeals.

I moved a few months ago and my books still aren't unpacked, so I need to get

out my IE books and start practicing IE, not just not dieting. And I

am going to

start walking, at least a little most days. I have had zero energy,

and I do remember that a little exercise, such as walking, seems to

give me more. My obesity is probably due more to inactivity than

overeating.

Sorry for the rambling, but it helps to put it into words.

Barbara

[Guest guest]

Barbara,

It's great that you can recognize the progress that you've made. And,

I do agree that adding more movement to your life will help in many

aspects. Daily movement that I enjoy has been pivotal for helping me

feel strong and preventing emotions related to discouragement from

building up in my body. Looking forward to hearing more about your

journey.

Latoya

>

> I have been feeling discouraged. I quit dieting a year and a half

> ago, and started

> IE with all the enthusiasm I used to put into new diets. It was

scarey because

> in the process of legalizing foods, I gained weight, maybe 15 - 20

pounds. But

> then I stopped working at IE and just used non-dieting as an excuse

for eating

> whatever and whenever I wanted. My weight is still at my highest

ever and I am

> uncomfortable in my own skin.

>

> I was thinking of going on a diet because of my discomfort - but

realized that I

> KNOW DIETS DON'T WORK. I got obese dieting, so obviously dieting is not

> the answer.

>

> But when this thread started, I began to realize that in spite of my

unhappiness

> about my obesity (and I am no more unhappy about it than I was while

dieting)

> there HAVE been some good changes. I no longer binge - and that in

itself is a

> biggie! I do not feel deprived, and I am probably eating more healthy

> foods since

> junk food no longer appeals.

>

> I moved a few months ago and my books still aren't unpacked, so I

need to get

> out my IE books and start practicing IE, not just not dieting. And I

> am going to

> start walking, at least a little most days. I have had zero energy,

> and I do remember that a little exercise, such as walking, seems to

> give me more. My obesity is probably due more to inactivity than

> overeating.

>

> Sorry for the rambling, but it helps to put it into words.

>

> Barbara

>

[Guest guest]

Barbara, I can identify with the difficulty of 're-training' one's

self, especially after years and years of struggling all the while

doing the WRONG thing (dieting) too - ouch! I think you are on to

something with taking walks and re-setting your objective to more IE.

I haven't had a great body adjustment myself, but like you, binging

less and being able to relax around/about food is a lovely start. I'm

pretty sure my next step is like yours - to get IE more predominately

in my mind and practice it until it becomes 'natural'.

BEST wishes to you and let us know about your walks :)

ehugs, Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> I have been feeling discouraged. I quit dieting a year and a half

> ago, and started

> IE with all the enthusiasm I used to put into new diets. It was

scarey because

> in the process of legalizing foods, I gained weight, maybe 15 - 20

pounds. But

> then I stopped working at IE and just used non-dieting as an excuse

for eating

> whatever and whenever I wanted. My weight is still at my highest

ever and I am

> uncomfortable in my own skin.

>

> I was thinking of going on a diet because of my discomfort - but

realized that I

> KNOW DIETS DON'T WORK. I got obese dieting, so obviously dieting is not

> the answer.

>

> But when this thread started, I began to realize that in spite of my

unhappiness

> about my obesity (and I am no more unhappy about it than I was while

dieting)

> there HAVE been some good changes. I no longer binge - and that in

itself is a

> biggie! I do not feel deprived, and I am probably eating more healthy

> foods since

> junk food no longer appeals.

>

> I moved a few months ago and my books still aren't unpacked, so I

need to get

> out my IE books and start practicing IE, not just not dieting. And I

> am going to

> start walking, at least a little most days. I have had zero energy,

> and I do remember that a little exercise, such as walking, seems to

> give me more. My obesity is probably due more to inactivity than

> overeating.

>

> Sorry for the rambling, but it helps to put it into words.

>

> Barbara

>